The president said only 7% of Central Falls passed the state math test. True?

[Hannah Bell]

"And that's what happened in Rhode Island last week at a chronically troubled school, when just 7 percent of 11th graders passed state math tests -- 7 percent."

http://wbztv.com/local/central.falls.high.2.1528415.html



But this contradicts him:


Central Falls, one of the state’s poorest and lowest-achieving districts, is in its third year of a new literacy push, and has worked hard to boost student attendance, said Supt. Fran Gallo.

Scores rose nearly 6 percent in reading and 5 percent in math, with 51 percent of students proficient in reading and 35 proficient in math.


CF high school is actually *above* average on these tests:

"The state average in math moved up one point, with 54 percent of students at all levels scoring proficient.

However, high school math scores were much lower than the state average, with just 27 percent of the state’s 11,189 juniors able to do the algebra, geometry and statistics expected of them — the same percentage as last year."

http://www.projo.com/news/content/school_test_scores_02-04-10_8PHB6G9_v47.3987a02.html




So where did Obama get this "7%" number? Is there some other state math test?

[Oregone]

1. Maybe hes not good at math

[Captain Hilts]

2. Central Falls has a HUGE immigrant population & few teachers who can teach them because of language

issues.

[Hannah Bell]

4. false. and nothing to do with the op, besides.

[Captain Hilts]

5. The teachers are being blamed for something that is not their fault. nt

[Hannah Bell]

8. i agree. but not because they aren't able to teach esl students.

[madfloridian]

3. A question that calls for an answer for sure.

Where did he get that figure?

[Hannah Bell]

6. i was hoping some of the teachers had a guess about alternate tests or something.

i can't fathom he'd just stand up & tell a bald-faced whopper.

[Starry Messenger]

7. I'm not sure.

"Teachers acknowledge that change is needed — the school’s graduation rate is 48 percent, and only 7 percent of students are proficient in mathematics by 11th grade — but they say they are struggling against difficult odds."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/education/25central.html


Here it is also asserted and unsourced. I want to know where this number comes from too.

[Hannah Bell]

10. it couldn't be the previous year's score: obama said "last week", &

a 5% rise wouldn't bring it up so far from 7%.

the tests in the article were given around the end of jan/beginning of feb, it appears. (edit: oct)

that doesn't jibe with obama's "last week" either.

when are the nclb tests given?

are there provisions to test in e.g. spanish for spanish-speaking esl students?

[donco6]

9. I think they're aggregating and disaggretating the data

The 35% figure looks like an overall math score for all grades statewide. The 27% figure is the disaggregated score just for high school juniors. From other places I've read, Central Falls' HS math scores were 7%.

But people keep throwing that figure around and I don't see it anywhere official. ??

AND, you know - 73% of the entire HS population cannot pass the test - so you pick on the poorest, highest minority school to make a "point"? That sucks.

[Hannah Bell]

11. according to the article i linked, that's not the case:

It talks about state high school scores:

"The state average in math moved up one point, with 54 percent of students at all levels scoring proficient.

However, high school math scores were much lower than the state average, with just 27 percent of the state’s 11,189 juniors able to do the algebra, geometry and statistics expected of them — the same percentage as last year."


And it talks about central falls scores:


"Central Falls, one of the state’s poorest and lowest-achieving districts, is in its third year of a new literacy push, and has worked hard to boost student attendance, said Supt. Fran Gallo.

Scores rose nearly 6 percent in reading and 5 percent in math, with 51 percent of students proficient in reading and 35 proficient in math."


http://www.projo.com/news/content/school_test_scores_02...

[tonysam]

12. Sounds like Obama pulled the figure out of his ass

Just like a good neoliberal.

[donco6]

13. I'm guessing districtwide they're at 35% in math.

But it's a good question. I'll scope out the RI Dept of Ed site and see if I can find anything.

[Hannah Bell]

14. reading more carefully, that's the case. but the district is only 7 schools, one

being the HS.

http://www.cfschools.net/


hard to fathom scores would be over 35% in elementary/jr high & 7% in HS.


edit: found it: true.

central falls high school math proficiency:

2007: 3%
2008: 4%
2009: 7%

reading:

34, 45, & 55%.

page 17.

http://www.ride.ri.gov/Assessment/DOCS/NECAP/Reports_Results/10.2009/Fall_2009_RI_NECAP_Results_Public%20Report.pdf

[donco6]

17. No, that would be pretty typical, really.

There's a reason kids start dropping out of math as they get older. It just gets harder and more conceptual.

[donco6]

18. Yeah, look at the districtwide report -

You'll see as a whole district they had 35% proficient/advanced.

http://reporting.measuredprogress.org/NECAPpublicRI/select.aspx

click on district summary report.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Either that or schoolwide

That was my first thought. Obama is citing the scores for only one grade level.

[donco6]

16. Here's the link to their district and school data

Yes, 7% proficient at 11th grade math.

http://reporting.measuredprogress.org/NECAPpublicRI/select.aspx

[Hannah Bell]

19. yep, found it.

2007: 3%
2008: 4%
2009: 7%.

[Fresh_Start]

20. the district numbers include elementary and middle school

results as well as high school results.